Recess! Media

If you need some ideas for planning a great family vacation this year, you might try some of the many internet travel sites that will help you with the process of deciding where to go, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, and what to see along the way. It’s a perfect opportunity for a family research project.

The Go Network’s Family Travel site offers visitors a wealth of travel advice and opportunities. Begin your vacation planning by selecting a region of the country to explore, or by deciding what type of vacation best suits your family. Are you a family of cruisers, outdoorsmen, theme park junkies, or beach bums? Also offered here are vacation deals and guides to family-friendly cities. The various checklists provided help make trip preparations less hectic. The list of items to take on a visit to a theme park includes a fabric marker, that way you can get Mickey Mouse to autograph your shirt!

TravelWithKids at About.com is another goldmine for families looking for adventures-especially adventures off the beaten path. Check out their links to ballooning, dinosaur digs, rock-climbing, wildlife viewing, spelunking, gold-panning, llama treks, historic train-rides, and family-friendly spas. There’s a whole section on water adventures from kayaking, to whale-watching. Travelers to Europe can even book rooms in real story-book castles. But perhaps one of the best resources at TravelWithKids is a list of vacation ideas your teenagers might actually enjoy!

If your family is like mine, then it wouldn’t be summer vacation without a road trip. RoadsideAmerica steers you in the direction of this country’s greatest attractions waiting for you around the next bend, and is worth a tour even if you don’t like roadtrips! And it just wouldn’t be a roadtrip without some quality road food. The Diner City site gives you state by state listings of 50’s diners. View pictures and get directions-I can smell the chili cheese fries now. So log on to the Net with your kids and plan a family-friendly vacation. Then leave the computer at home!